Times Argus Community News

AROUND TOWN

Osher event

MONTPELIER — The winter-spring session of Central Vermont Osher Lifelong Learning Institute continues at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 1, at Montpelier Senior Activity Center. Animal rehabilitator John Alberth will discuss his work to protect native wildlife in Vermont. Register for all seven remaining weekly presentations for $40 ($70 for two) or for individual sessions at $8 apiece.

Register online ahead of time or by mail to UVM OLLI. Or if you decide to drop in at the last moment, you may send a check or pay online after the fact. For more information, visit learn.uvm.edu/olli/centralvt or call 802-272-1706.

Speaker series

MONTPELIER — The League of Women Voters of Vermont, in partnership with Kellogg-Hubbard Library, presents the last in its 2022-23 Lecture Series on The Impact of Climate Change on Vermont at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 8. This session answers “What can we do?” as individuals to address the issues presented by rapidly changing conditions. The program will be hosted via Zoom. Attendance is free. Registration is required at www.kellogghubbard.org/adult-programs online.

Ban less

MONTPELIER — Bear Pond Books of Montpelier is sponsoring a Book Drive and Fundraising Campaign to support the fight against book banning in Florida. Working with the advocacy group Florida Freedom to Read Project in this effort, Bear Pond is asking the public to purchase books by two local authors, Cory McCarthy and Kekla Magoon, that the store will ship to FFTRP who will distribute them to students across the state. Bear Pond Books is also promoting their Read More Ban Less sweatshirts, all proceeds of which will go to FFTRP. The Book Drive and Fundraiser ends March 12.

AROUND VT

Board members

BURLINGTON — The UVM Medical Center Board of Trustees recently appointed four new trustees, adding individuals with experience in health care administration, diagnostic radiology, professional development and diversity, equity and inclusion to the 15-member board.

Kevin Chu is executive director of Vermont Futures Project, co-founder and president of Sprinticity Athletics. At the University of Vermont, he served as managing director of the office of engagement, strategic innovations and communications lead for the Rubenstein School, as professional advisor for the university’s environmental program and assistant director of admissions for diversity.

Churchill Hindes recently retired as a consultant to UVM Health Network and a vice president at UVM Medical Center, previously serving as chief operating office of the One Care Vermont health care payment reform initiative, and chief executive officer of the Visiting Nurse Association of Chittenden and Grand Isle counties.

Dr. Betsy Sussman is a diagnostic radiology specialist in Burlington and was an attending radiologist specializing in women’s imaging at UVM Medical Center for more than 30 years, where she still works as a per diem radiologist in breast imaging.

Weiwei Wang is a co-founder and director of operations and development of the Vermont Professionals of Color Network founded in 2019 and dedicated to advancing the prosperity of all professionals of color throughout Vermont. She is also a founding member of, and director of operations for, the Vermont Health Equity Initiative focused on providing accessible, human-centered health care and health education to all BIPOC Vermonters.

NAMI classes

WILLISTON — The National Alliance on Mental Illness of Vermont is offering a virtual NAMI Family-to-Family education program for family members of people living with mental health conditions. This free, eight-week program is taught by trained volunteers who are family members caring for their loved ones themselves.

NAMI Vermont will offer two virtual classes beginning in March. The first class starts March 9 and will be taught by NAMI Vermont members from the Northeast Kingdom and central Vermont. Classes will be from 6 to 8 p.m. every Thursday through April 27.

The second class begins March 22 and will be taught by NAMI Vermont members from southern Vermont. Classes will be from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. every Wednesday through May 10.

Participants must register in advance to ensure the class is an appropriate fit and to receive the Zoom link. Registrants are expected to attend all eight classes. Visit namivt.org/f2f to register.

VT PoC

BURLINGTON — Vermont Professionals of Color Network announced the launch of a new member portal, which provides a virtual point of connection for BIPOC communities across Vermont’s rural landscape. The portal resides within the www.vtpoc.net website and is the latest addition to VT PoC’s BIPOC Business Directory, Jobs Board and Civic Engagement Positions listings.

BUSINESS

DHMC expanding

LEBANON, N.H.— Dartmouth Health is expanding Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center’s Heart & Vascular Center. Opening in May 2023, the Patient Pavilion will house Heart & Vascular on all of its Level 4 in the Patient Pavilion, Wings A and B, as well as Level 3, Wing B, for a total of 48 beds at DHMC. The state-of-the-art rooms in the Patient Pavilion will give patients and their families more privacy, and space for loved ones to stay overnight. In addition, the expanded unit will feature wireless monitoring technology, which will give patients the freedom to move around and gain their strength back more quickly. Electronic signage inside and outside patient rooms will be updated in real time to alert the care team regarding changes in their patients’ condition.

Pella donates

SOUTH BURLINGTON — A new initiative by Pella Windows & Doors of Vermont, the “Pella + Purpose” program (aka the Scholars Fund), and AIAVT (American Institute of Architects Vermont Chapter) announce the Pella + Purpose campaign successfully raised $7,500 in 2022. The Scholars Fund awards a variety of scholarships to students pursuing architecture and design studies each year. Fifty participants from 25 firms statewide were able to complete the program to raise this donation amount, including through proceeds from the Annual Guy Teschmacher Memorial Golf Tournament.

Do you have an item you would like to see in Community News? A milestone? A public announcement? A short news release about something entertaining going on in your town? Simply email the information to us at news@timesargus.com. Be sure to put For Community News in the subject line. (Note: We do reserve the right to edit for length.)